Known to the art are active railroad crossing warning systems utilizing the railroad tracks themselves to detect an approaching train and activate a warning signal apparatus such as warning lights and bells. These systems known to the art warn motorists when a train is detected at a predetermined distance from the crossing. However, present active warning systems do not take into account the velocity, size, or location of the train and thus make no allowance for the time it will take the train to reach the crossing. For example, a fast moving train may reach the crossing in only a few seconds after it is detected, while a slow moving train may fail to reach the crossing until several minutes have passed. Motorists may become impatient waiting for slow moving trains to reach the crossing. Consequently, some motorists may begin to ignore the warnings and attempt to cross the tracks possibly causing an accident should a fast moving train be encountered.
Further, installation of current active detection systems may require the installation and resetting of great lengths of track. Further, current detection systems may be susceptible to rail corrosion and degradation over time causing the detection system to malfunction. Additionally, these systems may require the installation of expensive high voltage transformers, relays, and batteries for backup systems. Unfortunately, many rural crossings are not conducive to the installation of active warning systems that require AC electrical power and extensive grade preparation. Consequently, these crossings usually remain inadequately protected. Another disadvantage of railroad warning systems known to the art is that they do not provide fail-safe conditions. For example, some crossings may not provide adequate protection if there is a loss of electrical power or if a component of the detection system has failed. Under such conditions, a railroad warning system may be non-functional without being noticed by railroad personnel and motorists. In order to provide adequate protection to motorists when they encounter a railroad crossing, an improved train detection system is necessary. The impact of high speed rail corridors being proposed across the United States will only exacerbate this need.
Additionally, railroad crews working on or in the vicinity of active railroad tracks are susceptible to accidents as a result of not being sufficiently warned of an oncoming train entering the work area. The rail work is typically performed in isolated regions away from crossing areas, and therefore the work crews do not have the benefit of standard crossing signals to warn them of approaching trains. Thus, there lies a need for a reliable warning system for warning maintenance-of-way crews which allows the crew to concentrate on the work at hand while providing adequate warning of oncoming train hazards in order to clear the tracks of tools, equipment and workers to avoid an accident. The railroad crew warning system is further required to be portable and easily set up by the crew in a relatively short period of time. Consequently, the warning system should be of sufficient operational efficiency to activate the warning system only upon the detection of a train to thereby mitigate the natural human tendency to ignore the warning system after false activations.
Likewise, when maintenance is required to be performed in areas where train traffic occurs, a human is used as a “flagman” to monitor for a possible approaching train. Upon detecting a train the flagman then signals to the various parties of a trains approach and the maintenance workers are alerted to move out of the way. Normally at this time the human flagman would let out a blast from his air horn to warn the workers that a train is inbound. Utilizing a human flagman results in high labor cost and errors in human judgement. Consequently, it would be advantageous if a system and method existed for reliably warning maintenance personnel reliably and in a cost-effective manner.
Furthermore, difficulty exists in positively determining a train's position and data relevant to dispatching trains in rail yards. Consequently, it would be advantageous if an apparatus and method existed for reliable, easily installed, cost-effective, detection of critical information concerning railroad transportation vehicles.
The railroad industry has conventionally employed multiple railroad tracks across a desired route. This is advantageous as it allows more trains to travel at the same time, regardless of whether they are traveling in the same or opposite directions. In order to better arrange traffic, locations along a railroad route may include a track switch. In the past, mechanical switches were utilized. Switching of the railroad tracks was executed by an individual manually switching the mechanical switch. In order to remove the requirement of labor for switching railroad tracks, electromechanical switches with remote actuation were introduced. A remote control may be employed such that a conductor of a train, may switch the track by actuating the remote control. A problem associated with the use of remote-controlled switches is caused when switching of the tracks is initiated with a railroad car in vicinity of the switch. When this occurs, railroad cars may come disengaged or it may result in a derailment.
Finally, traffic accidents result in thousands of injuries and deaths in the United States each year. Many of these accidents occur because a motorist failed to see and obey a traffic sign due to a distraction or because his or her view of the traffic sign was obstructed by environmental conditions or darkness. Most often, such accidents occur at an intersection between two or more roadways where two vehicles may collide because one vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign. To reduce the possibility of such accidents and to improve traffic flow, busy intersections are often equipped with traffic light systems which control the flow of traffic through the intersection by allowing each lane of traffic to alternately proceed through the intersection for a predetermined length of time. However, installation of traffic light systems may not be feasible for less busy intersections in rural or residential areas. For these intersections, passive signs such as stop signs or yield signs provide the only means of traffic control. Motorists are required by law to obey these signs regardless of traffic conditions and are expected to use caution in watching for other automobile traffic, pedestrians, or the like. Similarly, traffic signs, such as warning signs, regulatory signs, no-passing signs, school and school crossing signs are used along the roadway to convey important traffic information. A motorist may fail to see such signs due to poor visibility conditions, distraction, or simple inattentiveness.